Monday, November 14, 2011

Alas, I have completed my training and ran my required 8 miles. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. My sister and I managed to finish the half marathon and place in the top 15 women only teams (out of 171 teams!). We were in the top 50 overall. So we were pretty happy with ourselves and we aim to be in the top 5 women only teams next year!

Apparently practice does help! I started running 3 miles 5-6 days a week and started doing longer runs as the race got closer. It took a long time for me to build up this endurance....hopefully I'll be able to keep it up!

Ever had applesauce without a spoon? It was always a nice thought, but difficult to do. A friend introduced me to this product. Since it was on sale at my local store, I purchased a pack to try myself. These fun green pouches allow you to squeeze applesauce into your mouth without ever using a spoon or needing a napkin! It is all natural, where the only ingredients are apples and apple juice. No added sugars is definitely a benefit and I think it tastes great and is super sweet. As an added bonus, one whole pouch is only 60 calories. What an easy way to get a fruit serving. Try the other flavors and let me know what you think!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

I spent Labor Day weekend in Boston visiting close friends and we took a day trip to Maine- my first time! The weather was beautiful, very scenic, and the seafood was outstanding. Who knew that a lobster roll could taste so good? Here are some of our many pictures- take some time and enjoy Maine for yourself! And remember....everything in moderation....

Friday, October 7, 2011

Temperatures have finally cooled down outside, encouraging me to start exercising outdoors again. While my job offers a free gym membership onsite, I have failed to take full advantage of all of its features. Instead, I joined a free weekly running club. Who wouldn't want to be rewarded for exercising?

Each Tuesday, my husband, some friends, and I run one lap (3 miles) around the park. We log it into the system, and after 10 weekly runs, we receive a free workout shirt. In addition, the sponsor offers a free meal and drinks afterwards (while supplies last). While I haven't taken advantage of the free food, I just hit 10 runs this past Tuesday meaning I have run at least 3 miles every week for the last 10 weeks! It felt great and I can't wait to reach 20 runs, when I receive half off a much needed massage.

My husband is an avid runner and will actually be running his 7th marathon this weekend in Chicago. While I was never as motivated to run such long distances, I was finally convinced to run a half marathon...actually, it's a 2 person relay. My sister and I will be splitting the half marathon distance in November, with the first person running 8 miles, while the second runs 5. The trick is to figure out who will run first.

In the meantime, I have been running on a semi-daily basis. Worried that I may hurt myself, I researched information on proper workouts and came across this article in Runner's World. According to the author, 3 red flags or more may indicate a need to take a break. Looking at my own routine, my soreness and pain is still evident but has drastically been reduced since I started stretching before and after every run. My energy level is frequently down when I start running, but I figure it is because I'm not really in the mood. I also haven't been sleeping well- while I still feel rested, I do wake up in the middle of the night. While I don't think I fit every red flag, I do feel it is time for a break. Stay tuned as I work myself up to 8 miles.....

Monday, September 26, 2011

Friday marked the first day of fall, but in my hometown, it still feels like summer. Temperatures reached a 100 degrees over the weekend causing my air conditioning to work overtime.

Reflecting on my summer, I am sad to see it end. Recently, I was able to enjoy time with close friends when I took a girls weekend to Florida. While I love being married, I miss girl time and would love to do this every year! Visiting West Palm Beach was the relaxing trip I needed. The view of the ocean was beautiful and the smell of saltwater filled the air. We also had a chance to make a quick trip to Miami to check out Versace's old mansion and take in the view, food, and fun! While we may have overindulged on food and drinks, we definitely had a good time. Moderation is always the key! Goodbye summer....it was fun while it lasted, but I look forward to cooler temperatures and falling leaves!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

This summer has been brutal. With a drought and unbearable heat, finding activities to do has been difficult. To deal with temperatures, I find that I have been eating out a lot- just to get myself out of my air-conditioned home to another air-conditioned place. Luckily, the month of August is Restaurant Week in Houston. Various restaurants around town participate in this city-wide event that includes a 3 course prix-frix meal with a portion of the proceeds ($5 from each meal served) benefitting the Houston Food Bank.

As a former Food Bank instructor, I think this is a great cause to help the hunger crisis in Houston. According to the website, by dining only once at a participating restaurant during this event supports 15 meals for a child or adult in the Houston area. What a great cause, and a great way to experience new foods!

My husband and I have enthusiastically participated this year, dining at various restaurants. While all of our choices may not be healthy, it has helped me taste new foods at fantastic restaurants. If you ever are in the Houston area, visit a couple of our new favorites:

1. Strip House. Contrary to its name, this restaurant offers great ambiance, service, and of course, food. The benefit of high-end steak houses is that cows are grass fed- a new important component to my family's diet. While I am unable to taste the difference between organic and non-organic, I am worried about the health risks that corn-fed cows may cause. After a recent conference, I was enlightened by the fact that corn-fed cows no longer solely count as a source of protein, but also as a source of carbohydrate. Therefore, I need to balance my carbohydrate at meal time when consuming corn fed meats. On the other hand, grass fed meat provides a source of vitamins and minerals and reduces the possibility of food poisoning.

2. Mockingbird Bistro
This restaurant is known more for being a wine bar, but the food was excellent. Seafood was the food of choice for myself as I chose huge scallops as my main course. While scallops are high in cholesterol, they are low in fat and calories, thus allowing a good alternative to the extensive amount of steak we have consumed. The other bonus to this place is that they claim to use the freshest ingredients- therefore the menu changes frequently to allow customers to eat ingredients that are in season. Choosing and consuming ingredients in season is a good rule of thumb to follow at home. Typically, I choose vegetables and fruit that are in season to save myself money while still being able to enjoy the flavor.

If you visit any restaurants, please let me know. I am always up for trying something new!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

During a recent visit to my parents' house, I noticed something reddish and semi prickly sitting on the counter. When I inquired, I was told that it was tuna. I was confused. Isn't tuna a fish? I didn't see fish, rather something resembling a cactus:

3 Tuna Fruits

I decided to explore further. After some research, I did find that tuna is indeed a type of fruit, stemming from opuntia, also known as nopales, a part of the cactus family. As a dietitian, I have heard of dishes that include nopales, but typically the actual cactus, not the fruit of the cactus. This prickly pear (as it is otherwise known), can be eaten, but the outer part of the skin needs to be carefully removed. Without proper removal, the pointy spines of a cactus could actually irritate my throat. I wanted to try the fruit, but waited until an "expert" (my mom) ate one.

First, she told me to take off the outer layer of the tuna revealing (in this case) red flesh:

Removing first layer of fruit

Once the outer purplish-greenish layer was taken off, then the inner red layer was also removed (had a spongy texture) but I believe some people eat this layer:

Tuna fruit with all layers removed

Finally, we reached the actual fruit. We cut it in half revealing tiny seeds (that can be eaten). The fruit was slightly sweet and juicy.

Monday, July 18, 2011

This past weekend, my husband and I decided to visit a winery for his birthday. After a day's worth of research, I was surprised to find that we had many wineries in Texas, and disappointed that there was no need to travel to Napa Valley. At first, we were planning on making a weekend out of it- staying at a bed and breakfast and visiting the nearby winery. Who knew that it was high season, and the bed and breakfast was booked? Instead, we traveled an hour and a half to Bryan, Texas to visit the Messina Hof winery.

As a University of Texas grad (go Horns!), it felt weird to make a special trip to Bryan, Texas, but the winery was definitely worth it! While it was very hot outside, the winery was beautiful and extremely peaceful. Check out our photos of the vines below. The tiny grapes managed to have many seeds, but had an incredibly sweet taste. We sampled one, but couldn't help but grab a few more! After a brief walking tour of the winery, we ended back into the main room, where we sampled some wine!

Sweet grapes!

More sampling!

Who knew Texas was so pretty?

Barrels of Wine

I'm not a huge wine lover, so I expected to give all of my samples to my husband. To my surprise, I ended up drinking most of the wine because I finally learned how to appreciate it.

According to our tour guide, following these steps will make drinking wine that much better!
1. Swirl the wine in your glass. This helps "mix" the wine since it has been standing upright in the bottle.
2. Smell the wine. After swirling the wine, the flavor usually intensifies and the smell is wonderful! I smelled the wine before and after swirling and noticed a difference (although I could have been imagining things).
3. Finally take your first sip. Our guide told us the first sip is always different than the rest. Before swallowing, swish the wine around in your mouth- this helps bring out the flavor and makes the wine smoother. This method worked for me: I had initially taken the first sip, prior to following any of our guide's tips. The wine was extremely dry. After following his advice, the wine was super smooth. Each sip after was better than the last!

Our guide also provided various tips for drinking reds versus whites, but I found these three steps the most satisfying to my own palate. I couldn't wait to bring a bottle home and try in the comfort of my home. Try for yourself- grab your favorite bottle of wine and let me know how it tastes!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

I initially started this blog to share my adventures in nutrition. However, lately I've decided I can add much more insight for readers. As a result, I decided to add a new topic to blog posts: food critiques. In an effort to be consistent with all food reviews/critiques, I have created the "dazzling star" meter, with 5 starfruits being the best.

Ever since my experience in Malibu, I have wandered aimlessly through grocery store aisles looking for new foods to try and experiences to share. In a recent visit to the local organic grocery store, my husband and I visited the frozen foods aisle in hopes of finding a "healthy" ice cream or frozen treat. As my eyes scanned the packed shelves of frozen delicacies, I stopped when I saw this bright green box with a large picture of a chocolate covered banana:

My husband was equally interested and we purchased a (slightly pricey) box of chocolate covered bananas. We dove into this delectable treat after dinner and were pleasantly surprised. Each banana comes individually wrapped, and upon reading the box, I realized it was the same great treat that I had tried at the Taste of Chicago many years ago!

According to the nutrition facts label, each banana is 130 calories and 6 g of fat. The ones we bought were considered "babies" because it was only half a banana- a perfect serving size. In addition, we chose the heart healthy dark chocolate version (research has shown that dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are good for the heart).

You may like to try out a box this summer as well. I hope you find it refreshing!

Monday, July 4, 2011

I spent the 4th of July weekend in New York City and enjoyed every minute. I lived in NYC a few years ago and missed the excitement and thrill of the city. We managed to visit all of our favorite restaurants and catch up with some old friends. I also had to get used to the extensive amount of walking- I had forgotten how exhausting that can be! It definitely showed me that I needed to work out more frequently just to keep up! My husband describes our whole weekend as a "culinary tour" of Manhattan. As a result, I have shared the names of all the restaurants we visited this weekend.

On Friday, we met up with my former coworkers in Downtown Brooklyn. It was great to see everyone - it seems like forever since I last spoke to any of them. They shared with me all the new drama going on in their lives, and the changes to the hospital. We also were able to pick up tickets to see a Broadway show. My husband is not a huge fan of musicals, so we opted for the play, The Normal Heart. We had seen an interview with Jim Parsons (from the Big Bang Theory) promoting the play which was about the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s. It was quite a touching story, and I learned more about the discovery of the virus. I recommend checking out the play if you are in NYC.

Saturday morning we met up with our former roommates for brunch at a cute French place, L'Express. I still miss the incredible views of downtown Manhattan from our high rise apartment in Brooklyn, but it was good to see them and share our adventures since leaving the apartment.

The afternoon was spent shopping in SOHO, although the heat and crowded streets made me want to go back to the hotel room. We also visited the Tenement Museum found in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It was interesting to learn about immigrants who traveled to America decades ago. We were able to tour the inside of an apartment that had not been inhabited since the 1930s and was discovered in the 80s. Everything was kept in its original condition.

In keeping with our culinary tour, my brother-in-law recently moved to NYC and wanted to visit Little Italy. With recommendations from friends, we abandoned the idea of Little Italy since it was too touristy, and tried Otto Pizzeria, an Italian restaurant near NYU, owned by Mario Batali (Food Network Chef). The food was outstanding, but the ambience was loud and sometimes we were unable to hear our own conversations.

Sunday morning, the rain altered our plans somewhat, but we were still willing to wait in line for one of our favorite brunch places, Good Enough to Eat. As a dietitian, I feel guilty recommending this, but the restaurant has the best strawberry butter and biscuits. It's a good thing I no longer live in the city!

In the afternoon, we visited the new High Line park. Living on the West Side near Hell's Kitchen for a year, I was disappointed that the park was not developed until after I moved away. The High Line was created in the 1930s to prevent freight trains from traveling the streets of Manhattan. In 2009, the High Line opened as a public park, gradually opening sections of the park where it will eventually be a mile and a half long. We started at 30th street and walked a mile throughout the park. Check out the views from the High Line below. This was definitely a great way to work in some physical activity while still enjoying NYC without the traffic and noise.

Rainbow City (AOL sponsored at High Line Park)

Water Fountain in High Line Park that offers friendly advice

View from High Line Park

We also picked up a tram in Midtown Manhattan to travel to Roosevelt Island. Decades ago it was inhabited by a prison, but since then the island has been gentrified, now offering high-rise condos and co-ops. The island has a spectacular view of Manhattan, and is a definite must see for any tourist.

View from tram to Roosevelt Island

View of Manhattan from Roosevelt Island

We ended the weekend with our SECOND stop to Buttercup Bake Shop . This is one of my all time favorite places for dessert. We first stopped in on Friday for sweet treats, specifically the banana pudding because it is the BEST that I have ever had....maybe one day I can get the recipe from them, unless any of you know it, please share!!! On the train ride back to the airport on Monday, we savored every last bite of banana pudding. Who knows when I will have a chance to go back?

To sum it all up, I miss you NYC, but I always look forward to reuniting!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

I can't believe how quickly the summer is flying by. It is already mid-June and I feel like I just came back from winter vacation. One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh fruit, specifically my favorites, cherries and berries. Yet, summer is also a time to relax, and in my case, experiment with new recipes and foods.

This week, it was my husband who was exposed to the new "basketball" found on the kitchen counter. The "basketball", as he called it, is actually a pomelo- a large fruit resembling a grapefruit in both taste and texture. It is extremely large, and in the nutrition world, would be considered a few fruit servings. Typically grown in Eastern Asian countries, the pomelo is now grown in California.

After peeling away the outer layer, there is another thin layer of skin that needs to be taken off, otherwise it will be extremely bitter when eaten. My husband was fascinated with the size of the pomelo, so we decided to compare it to other fruits. The only citrus fruit available in our fridge was a lime. While not the best comparison, it still showed the size of this sweet, juicy, and slighly tangy fruit.

A whole pomelo with a slice of lime

Comparing a slice of lime with a slice of pomelo

As a first-timer, my husband thought it tasted exactly like a grapefruit. I think it is less bitter, and if chosen well, sweet and juicy. Try one for yourself and let me know what you think!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Summer officially begins after Memorial Day. With the 90+ temperatures I've been experiencing for the past couple of weeks, you would have thought summer was half over. No such luck. My family and I try to make the best of the heat, by staying indoors and planning activities around the weather. The only bonus is that it doesn't get dark until close to 830 in the evening, which gives me plenty of time to finish my errands.

I spent Friday evening preparing grilled fish with artichokes. My husband and I found a great recipe using both of those ingredients. He had a big exam on Saturday morning, so we wanted to have a healthier meal, with an increase in omega-3 fatty acids. He has been taking an omega-3 supplement daily for almost 2 years, due to its ability to reduce anxiety, in addition to helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

We microwaved the artichoke hearts and then soaked it in olive oil (the WSJ recipe asks to jar the artichokes- it may taste better, but takes longer). In the meantime, we sauteed the onion and celery. Once softened, we added the artichoke hearts, tomato sauce, and white wine vinegar. We simmered for 5-8 minutes and set aside. Then we grilled the fish filets (we used red snapper) in a little canola oil. Serve the artichoke caponata mixture over the fish. We usually add bread, but you could also use pasta or rice.

Both of us had never prepared artichokes, so we were a little weary of the recipe at first (in addition to being novice cooks). But, it was definitely worth it and we will make this again in the future. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, my husband didn't even need to take his fish oil supplement!

Monday, May 30, 2011

My Memorial Day weekend, as with many American holidays, involves a lot of food. How grilling hamburgers and steaks relates to remembering our fallen soldiers, I will never understand.

I began my Memorial day eating fest Friday evening while having dinner with my husband's uncle who flew all the way from Egypt. We enjoyed great conversation and company while eating italian fare.

I joined in on the grilling festivities Saturday evening. After my conference in Malibu, I have made a more conscious effort to eat more "whole foods" and less processed foods. I managed to find hot dogs and sausages made organically, from cows being fed grass only (no hormones). While it is still processed, I felt a little better knowing that I was eating foods that were "all natural." It was a huge hit, and everyone commended the sausage. Who knew that organic foods did taste better?

The next evening, my sister and I threw a surprise birthday party for our dad. We invited family and held it at a popular chinese seafood restaurant- Fung's Kitchen. The food was great. We ordered from a banquet menu, that offered 10 dishes plus a soup. By the time the 5th dish was on the table, I was already stuffed, but the food was so good, that I couldn't stop. I later regretted this decision since my stomach was starting to hurt. We also had cake from 3 Brothers Bakery, a local bakery that offers dairy free treats since my nephew is allergic. Finally, we offered party favors for all that attended, and for a food lover like myself, you can probably guess that the favor involved food. Indeed, we gave away chinese longevity buns. These individually wrapped buns are colored with a little pink to celebrate someone's birthday and are typically a sweet treat.

Chinese Longevity Bun

Overall, I enjoyed my Memorial Day weekend, never once forgetting our fallen soldiers. Thank you for all that you do for our country.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

This past week I attended a nutrition workshop in beautiful Malibu, CA. In the past, I have attended nutrition conferences with hundreds of people, typically getting lost in the crowd. This time, I attended a Field to Plate workshop, hosted by Amanda Archibald. This was a WONDERFUL conference. There were less than 20 of us and we were each able to speak with presenters one-on-one. I learned so much!

I flew in Tuesday afternoon, with just enough time to enjoy dinner with a fellow attendee. The next day the conference started. Getting to the Malibu House was a feat in itself. It was a beautiful drive on Pacific Coast Highway and traveling up the mountain. The difficult part was making sure my stomach was able to make it.

It was definitely worth the motion sickness- the view was beautiful! Here are a couple of pictures of the view and the wonderful house. We were told that the empty lot next door was Jeff Bridges!

View of Malibu Beach

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

View of the Malibu House

﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

The conference taught me all about supplement use and benefits of whole foods. I never knew that soaking beans prior to cooking would not only speed up the cooking time, but also release many valuable vitamins and minerals that would otherwise not be readily taken up by my body. I will also definitely start incorporating more probiotics into my diet. While I try to avoid taking a lot of supplements, there are plenty of foods (ie yogurt) that will help with probiotics. Taking it everyday will help with your digestive system.

﻿﻿ ﻿﻿

Lastly, food and cooking can be as simple as adding spices to your meal. I will definitely be purchasing The Flavor Bible, as recommended by Amanda, in order to learn how to add spices and variety to my cooking. Hopefully, I will produce both nutritious and tasty foods. I no longer will just be focusing on low fat and salt. Herbs and spices will add more flavor and health benefits than anything else! Check out the wonderful food from the conference.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Another busy weekend and no rest for the weary. It was a weekend full of celebrating "Mamma" a week after Mother's Day. Saturday morning was my last nutrition class. The girls had worked hard for 7 weeks, culminating what they learned with a dance recital for their moms. It was such a great ending!! There was music, fun, and a quick review of nutrition facts. One of the dance instructors said she learned something new during the review: regardless of the type of milk (whole, 2%, 1%, or nonfat), they all have the same amount of calcium and Vitamin D. The only difference is the amount of fat--so choosing 1% or nonfat milk is the best option. I was so proud of the girls and their parents. They knew all of the answers and were able to teach others!

In the afternoon, I treated my mom to a late mother's day present: a facial. It was fun, relaxing, and something that everyone should take time to do at least a couple of times a year. My facialist (is that what they are called?) recommends it once a month, but I'm not sure my skin can take all of the cleansers. My dad insists that he can tell that my mom and I have much cleaner skin; I can only feel the benefits.

Saturday evening entailed of a broadway show and a fabulous dinner. We visited a local restaurant, Gravitas, which is fine dining at its best. The food was excellent and I HAD to try the dessert: a chooclate bomb served with fresh berries. While the calories and fat were probably more than I needed in a lifetime, the chocolate mousse delight was definitely worth the splurge. As everyone always says.....eat in moderation! Afterwards, we headed towards the show: Mamma Mia! It was a birthday present I waited more than 6 months for. What a treat! The performers did a great job dancing and singing, and even included an encore of popular ABBA songs. What a great ending to a busy week.

I will be traveling to Malibu, CA for a nutrition conference this week. I am super excited and I will share my travels and learning experiences next week. Until then, enjoy a fabulous meal, in moderation of course.

Monday, May 9, 2011

It was a busy weekend, and I'm sad to see that it is over! For the past few weeks, I have spent my Saturday morning teaching nutrition to parents of young girls. My favorite class was this week- the supermarket tour! Personally, I love shopping at the store, finding the best deals and learning about new products.

This tour was not an exception! I always start the tour covering food on the outer perimeter of the store because this is usually where all of your basic grocery needs are stocked. In reality, you never need to venture down the aisles because it is usually junk food: cookies, chips, sodas, etc. However, there are exceptions to this rule if you prefer frozen vegetables, cereal, or snacks. There are healthy snacks besides fruit and vegetables.

Parents asked great questions throughout the tour, pausing to look at specific brands within the yogurt, cheese, and juice realm. I always learn something new at each tour. This week I found out that Nabisco Nilla Wafers now offer a reduced fat version. What a bonus! These tasty treats are now healthier snack options!
I can't wait until the next supermarket tour where I hope to find even more new products!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Since November, when Prince William announced that he was engaged to Kate Middleton, I have been working on launching my own blog. Why not choose the weekend of the Royal Wedding to commemorate my first post?

Watching the wedding of a lifetime has made me envious of a "common" girl I will never meet. Her dress was beautiful. The wedding was something people around the world will never forget. She is living the dream that every girl fantasizes about: becoming a princess, and in Kate Middleton's case, the future Queen of England.

However, what I am most envious of is the food that was served at the Queen's lunch reception. According to the Royal Wedding website, the luncheon consisted of various hors d'œuvres that included seafood, gourmet cheeses, vegetables, fruits, and desserts (my weakness). The variety of choices would please almost any palette, with even plenty of options for vegetarians. Some foods were foreign to me such as the "Scottish Langoustine," which after researching, I discovered is a type of lobster. I would have tried it all!
While I'm sure everything tasted great, some may have had additional health benefits than others. All of the foods that contained fish had the benefit of omega-3 fats which are good for your heart. Fruits and vegetables seemed to be prepared so uniquely that even children would find one of those treats tasty.

What was most intriguing to me were the desserts. WIth so many options, I'm sure it would have been hard to choose. Most probably made a beeline for the beautiful 8-tiered wedding cake, usually one of my favorite moments of the wedding reception. In this case, the bride chose all 8 layers to be made out of fruit cake. I love chocolate, however, and I would have chosen the "chocolate biscuit cake" which was a special request of the Prince, supposedly his mother's favorite.

With the weekend winding down, and people returning to their normal lives, I will embark on my own journey in writing this blog while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoy wedded bliss. A toast to the happy couple: Congratulations!